Thanksgiving
by catastrophe86
Summary: Takes place 2 to 3 weeks after Shadowboxing. Claire hasn't seen or heard from Gretchen since she left, and is having to sit through a Thanksgiving feast she really doesn't want to be at. Gretchen makes an unexpected appearance after an unforgettable meal.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Thanksgiving  
Author: catastrophe  
Fandom: Heroes  
Pairing: Claire/Gretchen  
Spoilers: Season 4  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
Summary: Takes place two to three weeks after Shadowboxing. Claire hasn't seen or heard from Gretchen since she left, and is having to sit through a Thanksgiving feast she really doesn't want to be at. Gretchen makes an unexpected appearance after an unforgettable dinner.  
Author's Notes: I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, before the episode aired. Using the promo pictures as my inspiration, this is how I hoped the episode would progress. Enjoy :) Reviews are appreciated.  
Warning: There is some language; I hope it doesn't offend anyone.

* * *

Claire

* * *

Even in the dim light of the bathroom, Claire could see that her normal cloudy blue eyes had darkened to their murky shade of green. She didn't always know what caused the change of color in her eyes, but the green always seemed to overshadow the blue when she was in this kind of mood.

She was pissed… and she wasn't entirely sure why.

She stared blankly down at the sink as she washed her hands. Thinking about her eyes, her mind absently wandered… Her thoughts flitted over the events of the past few weeks and halted on a single image…

A different pair of eyes…

She was no longer staring into the green of her own eyes, but rather the shifting green and brown in a set of hazel eyes. She froze at the memory, staring off into space. She watched as those eyes dipped down for a second, glancing at Claire's lips, before drifting back up to meet her gaze. She shivered. Those eyes that once made her smile and feel warmed to her toes, now made her stomach sink and her eyes water. It took her a few seconds, but she soon realized she was thinking about Gretchen. She shook her head quickly, clearing the image from her mind.

She'd been doing that for weeks. Whether she was cleaning or studying, she'd catch herself stopping in midstride because just a single, fleeting thought of Gretchen was so overpowering. Why did just the thought of her affect Claire so much? Gretchen made her choice and she left. There was no reason to think about her anymore. But that didn't stop the pain of rejection she felt under her calm exterior. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and sleep forever…

But it was Thanksgiving… and she was having dinner with her family.

Claire took a second to compose herself. They haven't even started to eat yet, but she had to take a breather from the dysfunctional Brady Bunch sitting at the dining room table. Sitting there, acting like everything was okay, made her want to scream. So, she had excused herself from the table.

Claire sighed as she dried off her hands and left the bathroom again; as much as she'd like to, she couldn't hide out forever.

She stopped just inside the dining room to examine the strange guests she'd be sharing the holiday with. She knew, of course, that she was going to have to spend the day with at least one of her parents, but her dad had spoken to her mom and arranged for them all to have Thanksgiving at her house… as a _family_… Apparently using the word "family" very loosely considering both of her parents decided to bring a plus one to the dinner… _And I do not believe they're relatives_, Claire thought bitterly.

Sitting at the head of the table was her father… and next to him was Lauren… "an old friend from work," he had said. However, their shared smiles and side glances indicated that they were more than "just friends". And then, to make matters worse, next to Dad sat her mother… with the man _she_ had been seeing recently. _Could this _get _any more awkward__?_ Claire thought, agitated. She put on a tight smile and took her seat again.

"Oh, you're just in time, Claire. We're going to do a toast before we dig into this lovely meal your mother cooked for us," her father said (_did she detect a bit of sarcasm in his voice?_). The others quickly ceased their conversation and raised their glasses with her dad. Noticing her hesitation, they all looked at Claire expectantly. Her cheeks felt like they were starting to cramp from the fake smile she kept plastered on her face. She raised her glass.

Breaking the stern look he had been giving his daughter, he glanced around the rest of the table, "Here's to peace and prosperity… and good will towards men." The others verbalized their agreement as everyone clinked their glasses together.

Claire didn't say anything. She clinked with a few glasses and took a sip. Her dad had let her have real wine (even though she wasn't of age) so that she could bask in every aspect of the holiday. The sentiment was lost on her, though. The alcohol didn't faze her. She only grimaced at the bitter liquid that slithered down her throat, hoping that just this once it would do what it was supposed to do… to dull whatever it was she was feeling. But, of course, it didn't… _Because I'm not like them_, she thought. She sighed, defeated.

Her dad shot her a look from across the table as he leaned in to carve the turkey. The others carried on with their previous conversation, oblivious to Claire's sour mood that had been unwavering since they arrived. He didn't know what to do with her. She had been in this rut ever since Gretchen packed up and left. Who knew they were so close? If he had known that she'd still be depressed after all this time, he would have done something. He shook his head, a frown creasing his brow. _But what could I have done? _Though he couldn't think of anything, he still knew that somehow what happened to her friend was his fault. He only hoped that his email from earlier in the day had reached its' recipient… and that it wouldn't be too long before he heard back from her.

His thoughts were interrupted by laughter; Lauren had cracked a joke. They shared a small, private smile with each other. He had to hand it to her. This was probably the most awkward meal he had ever endured, but she seemed to be handling herself well.

Claire witnessed the small flirtatious exchange between her dad and the new woman… it almost raised bile in her throat. It's not like she didn't want her parents to be happy, but everything about the situation grated on her nerves. Her parents belonged together… they both knew about her secret, they both loved her… Could they say the same thing about these new people they were introducing to their family? Would they accept Claire? Love her as her parents did? She doubted it.

Claire had found the one person she thought she could trust over anyone… a person that she had enjoyed such an intimate friendship with that she just _knew_… that they'd always be together.

_But where is she now__?_ Claire thought bitterly.

She mentally scorned herself for making it about Gretchen. Although deep down she knew that the root of her irritation had something to do with her former roommate, something else was bothering her.

Why were her parents acting like this?

After everything Claire had been put through, especially recently, she would _love_ to have a chance at a normal life. But, as recent events concluded… that wasn't possible. If she couldn't even hold on to her best friend slash… whatever else Gretchen was to her... why bother? But here her parents were… shitting away what was left of their relationship by showing up to dinner with these two strangers… _How could they?_ Claire couldn't understand how two people that had _every _chance to live a normal, happy, married life would piss it all away.

The whole bitter sweet conversation being shared between the other four at the table made her sick. It was obvious to her that her mom only brought her guy friend to hurt her dad… And her dad only brought this Lauren woman to make her mom jealous.

_When I can't even share the holiday with the one person I would _love_ to have sitting across the table from me, how can they take advantage of how easy they have it?_

"So Claire, what are you going to college for?" Lauren turned her inquisitive blue eyes towards the young girl.

Claire used her fork to poke at the piece of turkey now sitting on her plate, feeling irritated by the unwanted attention._ I don't know you, why are you trying to talk to me at my family's dinner table? Just let me sulk in peace._

She smiled another tight smile, "To learn?"

The few glanced at each other and chuckled uncomfortably, but her father gave her a warning look. Lauren's smile seemed to be strained now, too. "Heh, no, I meant umm… what are you studying? What do you want to do when you graduate?"

Claire stared down at her plate, refusing to look up as she continued to play with her food. Hoping to end the conversation, she responded curtly, "I'm undeclared." Lauren dropped her gaze and continued with her meal, thoroughly chided; she considered the subject officially closed. _Thank God_, Claire thought. Sandra's male friend however (_what was his name again?) _didn't take the hint.

"Well, what kinds of things are you interested in?" he asked, maybe hoping to lighten the college student's mood. Noah, however, could see that his question had the opposite effect. Claire's hand tightened on her fork. Noah cleared his throat hoping to discourage whatever she was about to say.

Claire shot him a quick look, smiling sweetly, before turning to the complete stranger with mock cheerfulness in her voice, "Oh, I don't know… reading, writing…. jumping off bridges… catching on fire…" she paused to take a bite of turkey, "…_that_ sort of thing."

What's His Face seemed confused; he looked around the rest of the table nervously. Sandra and Lauren shifted uncomfortably in their seats while Noah looked enraged.

"Claire…" he said warningly.

She ignored him. She turned back to the man next to her. "What? You've never jumped off a bridge and survived before?" she laughed incredulously. "Well, it _can_ be done," she stated as if it were the most normal thing in the world, "Watch." Without hesitating, she grabbed the knife sitting next to her plate, and before anyone could make a move to stop her, she dragged the blade down the underside of her arm, making a slice from her wrist to the crook of her elbow. "See?" She held up her arm for the man to watch the wound close itself back again… only leaving the traces of blood as evidence.

And the man's first reaction, as Claire suspected: he fell backwards out of his chair. Sandra jumped up and ran to get a washrag from the kitchen. Noah had already jumped out of his chair and detained the hysterical man while he got his cell phone out to call the Haitian. Lauren just sat there, shock written all over her face. Claire took it as her cue; _Guess family time is over_, she thought. She pushed back from the table and went up to her room.

Before she could think twice about it, she started packing up her bags… as she'd seen Gretchen do weeks before. _I don't belong here_, she thought.

As she stuffed her bags, a phantom voice repeated itself in her head... The same voice that had been haunting her for weeks. She paused with a shirt in her hand as she saw Gretchen... once again... staring at her with tear filled eyes…

_"I'm just... not like you."_

She continued to throw things into her bag, trembling uncontrollably. The calm rage she had felt at the table slowly dissipated and turned back into the mind numbing pain she'd been feeling for weeks. Samuel was right… the only way not to have to deal with this is by not having to. She briefly thought of the compass he had tried to give her. There's no way she could find the carnival without it.

_I don't need the carnival. I'll just go somewhere where no one knows me, where my dad can't even find me… and I'll stay secluded. No one needs to know what I can do… I don't need a normal life. _

Although the words in her head sounded brave, the tears that had brimmed her eyes now spilled over… and she began to cry again for what felt like the hundredth time that day. She grabbed her teddy bear and sat next to her bed, sobbing quietly into her stuffed friend.

_I don't ever want to feel like this again. _

It wasn't until then that she realized what it was that made her so miserable. She knew she had been upset about Gretchen's departure, but up until that moment she had convinced herself that she only missed the girl as a friend. _She's more than that_, Claire concluded as the sobs racked her body. She wasn't just depressed over the loss of her friend… her heart was broken. How could someone who claimed to care so much for her leave her like that?

She cut off her thoughts there… she didn't want to think about it anymore. She didn't want to feel or think about _anything_ anymore. So, she cried. She cried until she was exhausted…

* * *

The Haitian made it to the Bennet house in no time. As Sandra cleaned up the mess, Noah and Renee took the two shocked adults into the other room to wipe their memories. Sandra threw the washrag back on the sink before returning to their abandoned Thanksgiving meal. _What am I going to do with that girl?_ She thought. She started towards the room where their guests had been escorted but stopped when she heard the doorbell ring. She frowned, changing her direction to head towards the front door. _Who could that possibly be? Don't they have some family they should be with?_

Sandra reached for the door and pulled it open. It was dark, but Sandra could still see the unexpected guest clearly enough. It took a few seconds before she recognized the quiet stranger. She squinted up at the tall girl.

"It's Gretchen… right?"


	2. Chapter 2

Gretchen

* * *

_  
Come on come on come on come on come oooon_, she thought impatiently as she bounced on her toes. _How long does it take to get off the friggin' plane, people? _The old lady in the front who _finally_ managed to pull her suitcase down now appeared to be reaching for another one. Gretchen had to bite her lip to keep from groaning out loud. _Are you freakin' kidding me?! _She shook her head. _This is just… awesome. So totally_ awesome.

She tapped her foot nervously as the traffic finally started to move again; she had to resist the urge to trample over everyone, even the small children, to get to the exit. They were all moving just a little too slowly for her. She gripped onto her bag strap tightly as she moved forward, and clenched onto the folded piece of paper with her free hand.

As soon as she had read the email, she printed it out and proceeded to book a flight back to Arlington, VA. The note was already ratty and slightly torn. It wasn't a long flight, but she _had_ to have opened it and reread it at least a dozen times since she'd first boarded the plane. She'd never felt so anxious before in her life. _Not since that one mortifying year at summer camp where I was _literally_ caught with my pants down anyway_... She shook her head at the memory.

"Come on, let's go, let's go," she finally abruptly said as the man in front of her stopped to talk to the flight attendant he'd been ogling the entire flight. She brushed past him rudely, and walked briskly through the terminal heading towards the front of the airport. She knew she wasn't expected at the Bennet's house. She hadn't called or anything. But she had this unsettling feeling that she was running out of time.  
_  
__I'm coming, Claire_, she thought, running out of breath.

She managed to make it out of the airport without _majorly_ injuring anyone. Once outside, she looked around for some mode of transportation... _but, of course, all the taxis are full____, she groaned,__ ugh, come on_.

"You need a taxi, ma'am?" the attendant asked her.

"Yes sir, please?" she said exasperated. He ran out into the street and quickly hailed her a taxi. "Thank you, sir, thank you thank you thank you." She hopped in, and told the driver the address. "Quickly, if you can, Mr. taxi… cab… driver… sir," she said, dropping her bag in the floor board, "Do you know how long it will take?"

"It's about a ten minute drive from here," he informed her.

She let out a long breath in an attempt to calm herself, "Okay good, that's good." She looked around the small taxi, and in about 30 seconds started to get anxious again. Her leg jumped uncontrollably. Ten minutes was even too long now; she had to find something to distract herself. She opened the letter again; feeling the small tear rip some more, but she ignored it. She took a deep breath and slowly read it again, for perhaps the 20th time:

_Dear Gretchen,_

_I know you don't recognize the address, but this is Mr. Bennet… Claire's father._

_I'm writing to you because I'm concerned about my daughter. I know that the two of you had some sort of falling out, and you had to leave unexpectedly… But I was hoping there'd be some sort of chance for reconciliation?_

_Gretchen, Claire… my Claire Bear… has been the one good, steady thing in my life. I can't tell you what kind of life I've lead up to this point, but I can tell you that the only reason I'm still alive is because of her. She's the reason I get up in the morning. I'd do anything for her. And right now I only want to see her smile again._

_For years she's been chasing after a normal life. All she's ever wanted was to be normal, like everyone else. I believe you helped her with that. I've never seen her get so attached to one person as quickly as she did with you. She never spoke in much detail about you, but I could tell you meant a lot to her._

_And now that you're gone… she seems lost. Despite my many efforts to talk to her, she's closed off… from everything. Her once hopeful dream of living a normal life doesn't seem to matter to her anymore. There was once a time when I hoped Claire would be able to accept the abnormality of her life better, but… not like this._

_I know you were scared… and I know I really have no right to ask you this… but can you talk to her? I don't know what went down between the two of you, but I know you were close friends once. And whatever you said to her seems to have really struck a nerve. She doesn't seem to want to be close to anyone now, because… well, I think she believes you hold her responsible for what happened to you. And that you fled indirectly because of her… and she hates herself for that._

_I don't know what I'm expecting you to do, but I know you could help… She would listen to you. God knows I've tried… and she won't listen to me._

_Please Gretchen… Get back to me whenever you can._

_Sincerely,_

_Noah Bennet_

Gretchen let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes, throwing her head back on the head rest. _What have I done? _She looked up again and tried to neatly fold the letter back up before stuffing it into her pocket. She looked out the window as they turned onto Claire's street. It had gotten dark during the short ride from the airport.

The driver slowed to a stop outside of her house, and now that they were there, Gretchen hesitated… _What am I going to say to her?_ She thought as she looked up at the dimly lighted windows. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart raced.

"… Is this the right place?" the driver asked, breaking into her thoughts. She looked over at him, distracted, "Huh?" Then, realizing what he said, she quickly corrected herself, "Oh, yeah yeah…" she looked back out the window towards the house, "This is the right place."

She paid the driver and then quickly exited the vehicle. Once the car pulled off, she stood in the yard for a minute taking deep breaths. _I have to do this, I have to do this_, she thought trying to calm herself, _I don't know what I'm going to say, but it's now or never. _

She walked up to the house and listened for a minute... Silence. She glanced back at the driveway. _There are a lotta cars here,_ she noted nervously. _They have guests… maybe I should have called first._ But she couldn't hear anything going on _inside_ the house. She inhaled and exhaled slowly before reaching a trembling finger up to ring the doorbell.

Footsteps… She could hear footsteps heading towards the door. She braced herself as she waited for the petite blonde to answer. The door swung open, and her breath stopped… but it wasn't Claire. She recognized the woman, though. They'd met once before; it was Claire's mother.

Ms. Bennet squinted up at her for a minute before asking, "It's Gretchen… right?"

Gretchen finally released the breath she had been holding, and gave her a friendly smile. "Yes, Ms. Bennet, it's nice to see you again." She thought to add quickly, "Sorry for intruding like this."

The woman gave her a soft smile and shook her head. "It's…" her voice trailed off as she glanced at the bag Gretchen was carrying, "… quite alright." She sounded uncertain, but she offered another warm smile, "Come in."

Gretchen stepped inside, being careful not to pull a spazzy move of knocking her very full bag into any vases sitting nearby. She looked around despite the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. "This is a nice house, Ms. B." she smiled back down at the woman.

Ms. Bennet smiled again. "Glad you like it," she turned to call down the hallway, "Noah? We have a guest."

Noah left the room and headed back towards the front of the house. He'd heard the doorbell ring and had _assumed_ his ex-wife would know to send whoever it was away, but she clearly did not. Walking into the foyer he glanced up to see who their uninvited guest was… and he stopped in his tracks. Gretchen pulled at her bag strap nervously as she sent him small smile.

His breath left him in a rush as he stepped forward quickly and gathered the girl up into a bear hug. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before letting her go and holding her at arm's length. "Thank you…" he said, "Thank you for coming."

Gretchen was speechless. She just nodded. "Yeah… well, I was just telling Ms. B here that I'm sorry for just dropping by like"- He cut her off with a shake of his head. "No apologies necessary," he said as he glanced towards the staircase, "It's a good thing you came when you did."

She watched Mr. Bennet for a moment before looking between him and his ex… Did she detect a bit of uneasiness between them? "Did something happen?" she asked, growing suddenly worried, "Where's Claire? Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine," Noah assured her. He looked over at Sandra.

She turned to Gretchen, "We just… had a slight incident tonight… But now is not the time."

Noah nodded in agreement, "She's upstairs in her room…" he looked to Gretchen pleading silently, "Can you…?"

Gretchen just stared for a moment but slowly nodded, gulping softly, "I'll go talk to her."

Both of the parents smiled in relief. Noah sighed, "Good… she could really use a friend right about now." He glanced at Sandra before adding, "We'll be down here eating what's left of our meal. Take your time… and whenever the two of you feel like coming down… We'll have a plate ready for you both." He smiled and he and Sandra walked back towards the kitchen.

Gretchen watched them leave and gulped again. Her heart suddenly seemed to be lodged in her throat. But she headed towards the stairs anyway and started up… trying to be quiet.

She reached the top of the stairs and looked around. _Okay, now… which one is Claire's room?_ She'd never actually been in her house before.

She walked slowly down the hallway, checking every open door. She was temporarily distracted by a picture of Claire hanging on the wall. She stepped closer to it to get a better look and chuckled to herself. The picture was of Claire in her cheerleading uniform. _So, you _were_ a cheerleader after all. Cute_… she thought, smiling to herself. The sound of someone crying had the smile dropping from her face instantly though…

Gretchen turned towards the sound and stepped quietly until she found the room. Standing in the doorway, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim lights, she saw her…. finally. She thought she'd be overjoyed to see Claire again, but the sight of her sitting on the floor, sobbing into her favorite teddy bear, broke Gretchen's heart. She took a tentative step forward… and then another. This was the girl who cuddled with her in her dreams every night… the girl who made her heart jump and her knees weak. It was Claire… she was real and sitting right there in front of her. But the moment was bitter sweet… though she missed her former roommate every day she was gone, seeing her again… so hurt like this… made her heart sink. _I'm the cause of these tears_, Gretchen thought.

She pulled the strap off her shoulder and quietly set the bag down on the floor. She was only a few feet away from her now. Though she wasn't sure what to do or say when she'd first arrived, seeing the pain she'd caused Claire made her realize what she was here for… and what she needed to say.

"Claire?" she spoke softly hoping not to frighten the girl. The sobs halted.

Claire stayed in her fetal position for a moment, too scared to breathe for fear that one wrong move would make the mirage disappear again. She slowly looked up from her arms and gazed up at the girl standing in front of her. "Gretch?" she said, not being able to hide the emotion from her voice.

The fragile blonde looked up at her with mixed emotions… some of which Gretchen couldn't read. She mostly saw pain… but she could also see confusion and anger in the girl's eyes... There was something else, too… something she couldn't put her finger on, but it twisted something deep inside her. "Hi…" she muttered stupidly.

Claire stared at her in disbelief. _Gretchen is in my bedroom… She's standing right there_. Everything that she had been feeling or thinking earlier suddenly didn't matter anymore. _She came back to me? _She immediately disregarded the thought and squashed the emotion that came with it, but her stomach started doing cartwheels. She slowly pushed herself to her feet. Swallowing hard, she took in a sharp breath before responding, "What are you doing here?" her voice cracked slightly, barely getting the question out.

It was Gretchen's turn to swallow. "I uhh…" Claire watched her expectantly. She sighed, "I need to talk to you." She stated finally. She walked forward and sat gingerly on the edge of Claire's bed. Claire frowned at her, but slowly lowered herself a couple of feet away.

Gretchen played with her hands while she stalled. Claire didn't give her any leeway or easy way out. She finally closed her eyes and told herself to get it over with. "I need to explain myself to you." She said, briefly glancing up at Claire. The confusion in her blue eyes multiplied.

"I know what I said to you when I left… and I realize now that… by leaving, I wasn't just hurting myself, but I was hurting you, too," the last part coming out a pitch higher as she tried to fight back tears.

"But Claire, I…" she paused, staring at the girl mournfully, "I didn't leave because of you… Yeah, I was scared, and yeah I was… a tad irrational." She sighed, "…as per usual. And yeah, you know, I totally agree that you do not have the easiest of lives, but… I wasn't running away from you?"

She met the silent girl's eyes and could see them rimmed with tears.

"And I really hope my leaving didn't make you think that. When I told you 'I'm not like you' I meant…" she gave her a wobbly smile, "…I meant that I'm not as strong as you are." Claire looked away, and Gretchen's gaze fell to her lips, "… I wish that I was… That's why I left. I was scared and confused, but it had nothing to do with you or your ability. I have no idea what you've been through… I can't even fathom it…" Claire looked down, a single tear falling down her cheek.

Gretchen paused before continuing, "… but that doesn't mean I don't want to…"

Claire's heart thudded, her brows knitting together in confusion as she looked back up to meet Gretchen's gaze.

"I shouldn't have left… I know that now. A day hasn't gone by that I haven't regretted it." She rolled her eyes, "And yeah, I'm still kind of scared for my life and all, but…. I'd rather be in yours," she said, staring deeply into her eyes. "I don't want to lose you either."

Gretchen's breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded against her chest. _Go on_, she told herself. Swallowing, she felt a tear slide down her cheek as she watched the beautiful young girl sitting across from her… staring back at her in a way that made her want to melt. Gretchen opened her mouth and snapped it shut again. Taking a deep breath, she finally let it out, "I… I think I'm in love with you, Claire."

Claire felt her heart jump and her breath catch at those words. She took in a shaky breath and stood up. Trembling softly, she found herself pacing up and down the tiny space in her room. Gretchen watched her silently. Claire just tried to focus on breathing… tried to calm the fluttering she felt in her chest. She walked over to her dresser and placed her hands on the edges to steady herself. She squeezed her eyes shut before dropping her head. She spoke softly, "You really hurt me, Gretchen."

Gretchen's heart sank. She looked down, "I know," she said quietly.

Claire turned around and leaned against the dresser, crossing her arms hoping to stop the chills she felt. She watched Gretchen for a moment…watched as her hair fell off her shoulder to curtain her face. She wringed her hands over and over again, looking nervous.

Claire set her mouth sternly, "Come here," she said, louder this time. Gretchen stopped wringing her hands and looked up at her. Claire didn't show an ounce of emotion. Gretchen swallowed hard and stood up, walking forward to close the small distance between them. Claire watched her carefully. Looking up into her face; her eyes had adjusted enough to the light to see the green in Gretchen's eyes. The green hovered around the irises, while it shifted into brown around the outer edges. She loved staring up into those eyes.

She took a deep breath and let it out, still watching Gretchen sternly… _Now, how can I stay mad at someone with such beautiful doe eyes?_

"_Although_…" she said, relenting. She paused to make sure she had Gretchen's full attention, "… I suppose if you hadn't left…." She glanced down at Gretchen's very full and alluring lips, before meeting her gaze again. She grinned softly, "… I never would have realized how much you mean to me." Her grin widened a little.

Gretchen's heart pounded. _Does she mean what I think she means?_ She tried to remember how to breathe. Claire chuckled at her expression, "I don't know entirely what this is yet, but…" her smile deepened, "I know that I'd like to find out." She paused before continuing, "I love being around you, Gretchen… I love the way you make me feel." She chewed on her bottom lip, "You're the one person that I know I can trust... with every part of me." She glanced down at Gretchen's lips again, "I think… I'd like to see where this goes." She smiled meaningfully up at her friend.

Gretchen grinned from ear to ear, but then quickly tried to hide it, "Yeah, well, I uhh… I could _probably_ be into that." Claire laughed out loud, and Gretchen smiled again. It was the first time she'd seen Claire really smile since she'd gotten there, and she loved it.

Claire quieted down when she noticed Gretchen staring. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes and the room suddenly felt charged with electricity. They exchanged small, sheepish smiles with each other before Claire finally took a step closer. Gretchen chewed on her lip nervously. Claire smiled again and slowly pushed up on her toes to reach Gretchen's mouth. Their lips connected softly, sending a spark through both of them. The kiss only lasted for a brief second, but neither of them made a move to part. With their mouths only a breath away from each other, Claire reached up and slid her hand around the back of Gretchen's neck, pulling her tenderly down to meet her lips again. Their lips brushed together, making both the girls shudder as the warmth seeped into them; they parted their lips ever so slightly welcoming the sensation of them enveloping each other. _This is right_, Claire thought, losing herself in the kiss. Gretchen moaned lightly as she felt Claire nibble on her bottom lip, _Ugh, can we just keep doing this forever?_ Gretchen's mind screamed.

They kissed again, melting into one another, as time slipped away. Now they both had something to be thankful for.


	3. Chapter 3

f(x) = -5x+4 if x -3 OR f(x) = 2x+3 if x -3

_So, f of x equals negative five x plus four if x is less than negative three OR f of x equals two x plus 3 if x is greater than negative three… and I_ really_ don't give a damn._

Gretchen dropped her pencil down on her notebook and took the opportunity to stretch.

"So class, you can see that if you just take this number and…" the professor's voice faded and turned into white noise. _Doing math this early in the morning really _is_ cruel and unusual punishment_, she thought. She stifled a yawn as she picked up her pencil and attempted to refocus on the problem at hand.

_But who can concentrate on algebra when you have such a more interesting subject to think about? _

Before she could stop herself, her mind drifted off to somewhere else entirely; a place that had rolling hills of smooth, tanned skin, and waterfalls of golden blonde hair… with pools of churning blue-green eyes…

She felt a smile creep over her face as she thought about her beautiful roommate. But the smile quickly faded, and she sighed. Unknowingly she started to tap her pencil on the desk in a steady rhythm; it helped to calm her nerves… And thinking about Claire these days always seemed to make her nervous…

Something had been going on with Claire over the past few days… And Gretchen wasn't quite sure what it was. _Sometimes the girl is there and then other times she's so distant._ _Maybe if I-_

"Ms. Berg?"

She snapped out of it when Professor Thompson's irritating voice cut into her thoughts. She immediately stopped tapping her pencil as the entire class turned to look at her.

"Do you have the answer?" He asked expectantly, but she could tell by his tone that he knew she didn't.

Heat flooded her cheeks as she answered, "Umm… what is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation?" The class snickered, and she let out the breath she'd been holding as they all turned back around.

"I didn't think so," he said, giving her a stern look, "Remember finals are coming up, people. Start studying!" Gretchen rolled her eyes before grabbing her books and practically bolting out of the door.

She walked briskly back to the dorms, trying to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other, but her mind kept going back to Claire. Her stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots.

_What's been going on with her lately?_

It was only four days ago that Gretchen dropped by the Bennet house uninvited… and then she and Claire ended up in her bedroom with locked lips and searching hands for several minutes…

_Which was _amazing, she thought. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined Claire actually _returning_ her feelings. But she did… and they kissed…

_But then we went downstairs_. Gretchen's stomach dropped at the memory.

They knew they couldn't stay upstairs too long without her parents getting suspicious, so they opted to go downstairs and finish out Thanksgiving with them. _Which… was undoubtedly the most uncomfortable meal ever_. Claire was in a much better mood when she returned, Noah had noted and the others agreed. Both the girls just smiled in response and did their best to seem inconspicuous… But Gretchen noticed halfway through dessert that Claire wouldn't even dare look at her. _It's one thing to act all innocent and stuff_… Gretchen thought, her brow furrowing, _but why wouldn't she look at me?_

_I wonder if it had anything to do with her dad_, she thought, shuddering slightly. She could only imagine how Mr. Bennet would react if he found out that she and his precious daughter were more than "just roommates". _He probably keeps a weapon on his person at all times… just for that very reason_, she gulped.

_But even if we had an awkward meal with the parents, that doesn't explain why she's acting so strangely _now_… days later. _

She always seemed tense when Gretchen was around... And the few times she actually managed to relax, Gretchen would try to do something simple… such as holding her hand or touching her arm… and then she'd automatically tense up again. Gretchen thought about calling her out on it several times, but the fact was… she was afraid to. What if… What if Claire had changed her mind? What if she decided that Gretchen was just a little bit too out there for her? Or too skittish?

Gretchen had been stupid to leave her side before… _What if she still holds that against me? _She sighed; the questions bouncing around in her head gave her a headache_. I need to talk to her_, she thought. _I probably won't like to hear what she has to say, but I can't keep fretting over this. _

Deep breath in, deep breath out… _I just need to find a good time_.

She rolled her eyes. _When is it ever a good time to ask, "What the fuck is going on with you?"_

* * *

Mental checklist: books, keys, phone, purse… _Am I missing something?_

"Hey Claire?"

She stopped patting herself down and turned to the hesitant voice that called out to her. She recognized the letterman's jacket and the lopsided grin… He was in one of her classes. _Mmm… Todd? Or was it Tad?_

"Heeey… _you_." She grinned and kept walking, inviting him to walk with her, "What's up?"

"Well I don't know if you heard, but we're having a mixer at the Beta house tonight," he said, throwing her a smile, "And you are _definitely_ invited… You can bring your friend, too, if you want. It's gonna be awesome." He hooked an arm around her shoulders playfully, "You think you'll be able to make it?"

"Umm… well, I'll talk to my roommate and we'll see," she gave him a small, uncomfortable smile. The weight of his arm pushing down on her shoulders made it slightly awkward to walk.

"Alright, sounds good." He flashed her his all American smile, and started to pull away, "I hope I see you tonight." His arm lingered a little too long as he pulled away. Claire finally cut a sharp corner, shrugging out from under him, "Okay, see ya!" She could still feel his eyes roaming over her as she walked away. _Guys_, she thought, _disgusting_.

Once upon a time she would have been floored by a smile like that, but this time was different. Although she definitely didn't think of herself as a lesbian, ever since Gretchen had entered into her life she hadn't really looked at guys the same way.

_Gretchen_.

The thought of her roommate made her heart flutter. Her focus blurred as she pictured that long, wavy brown hair, and those beautiful hazel eyes. Slowing to a stop in front of her dorm room, she wondered what it would feel like to lay curled up in those arms. She shook the thought away as she hurriedly unlocked her door and stepped inside.

_What _is_ that smell?_

Sniffing herself she realized that the musky cologne jock strap was wearing had clung to her shirt. _Bleh_, she thought, and immediately reached to pull the shirt off… but the task wasn't as easy as she thought.

_Oh, come on_.

She'd forgotten the shirt was getting a little too tight on her and now it was stuck… half on, half off. She started stretching in all kinds of weird positions to pull it off, but the sound of the door opening and closing again had her freezing in her steps.

"Umm…" came the slightly amused sounding comment from her roommate. Gretchen let out a small grunt of a chuckle but quickly slapped a hand over her mouth as she tried to hold off a fit of giggles, "…Need some help?"

Claire's cheeks turned red, but she grumbled a soft, "Yes…"

Gretchen burst into laughter. The sight was too hilarious; she couldn't help it. Claire growled at her, "Oh, come _on_, Gretch," she bounced around, "Help me!"

Gretchen cracked up again before dropping her books on her desk and stepping forward. "Alright, alright!," she reached up to grab the fabric of her shirt, still giggling, as Claire squirmed, "Hold still!" Claire froze and Gretchen somehow managed to pull the torture device off of her. Claire took a deep breath and leaned back against her desk; all the jumping around had made her dizzy. Gretchen stood close by, tossing the shirt away. Still chuckling softly to herself, she made the mistake of dropping her gaze…

She couldn't help but notice the soft muscles of Claire's abdomen… and all the curves that came with it… even the ridiculously cute polka dotted bra. She smirked, but her expression grew serious as her breaths quickened, becoming more shallow. She gulped softly, feeling a warmth spread through her. Claire blushed when she realized she was still standing there half naked, and Gretchen noticed the obvious change of coloration in her face.

They both muttered apologies as Gretchen quickly turned around and Claire grabbed for another shirt. Gretchen cleared her throat hoping to dislodge the sudden intense awkwardness that spread over the room. "So, Professor Thompson was being an ass again today."

"Oh yeah?" She said as she pulled her clean smelling shirt on, "You can turn around."

Gretchen peaked to make sure the coast was clear before plopping down onto her bed, facing her roommate. "Yeah, he called me out in class… for daydreaming… again."

Claire chuckled, "What, isn't that like… the fourth time this semester?"

Gretchen gave her a sad smile, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

She laughed again, turning to put the dirty shirt in her laundry basket, "What were you daydreaming about this time?"

Gretchen narrowed her eyes, chewing on her lip before deciding on an appropriate response… to test the waters. She spoke softly, "Do you really have to ask, Claire?"

Claire froze at the question and felt her breath catch in her throat. Instead of just throwing the shirt in the basket, she decided to fold it first. With her back still to Gretchen, "Well hey, I was meaning to ask you… This frat guy invited us to a mixer tonight." She finished folding the shirt and threw it in the basket. Turning around she went to her desk to start pulling books out of her bag. "You think you might be up for it? We haven't really gone out in a while."

Gretchen watched as she pulled one book out in particular and started flipping through the pages… _Nice save_, she thought dryly. She was somewhat tempted to ask the girl what she was looking for so fervently in her History book, but decided against it. _We definitely need to talk… but not now. _

She sighed, "Sure… why not?

* * *

[sometime later that night]

Gretchen eyed the Beta house warily as they walked up. "They aren't being very subtle, are they?" she asked referring to the low bass vibrations they could feel emanating from the house. The curtains were also wide open and it was clear the place was packed.

Claire's eyes widened, "I guess some universities let this kinda thing slide." She started towards the door, "Let's go in." Gretchen sighed but followed her lead.

Once inside Gretchen was attacked by a slender blonde wearing a very low cut top and an extremely short skirt. "Hey!!!" she stumbled into Gretchen's side, spilling some beer onto her sleeve. "Thompson issuch a jackass, izzn't he?" The girl slurred.

Gretchen relaxed the evil look she'd been giving the girl as she recognized her. "Yeah, he is," she squinted at the sloppy drunk. "It's Melanie, isn't it?" She offered a smile.

Melanie smiled up at her, "Yep." She grabbed onto Gretchen's arm, "You're tall." She giggled to herself.

Claire watched the exchange disgusted. She rolled her eyes before leaning up to Gretchen's ear, "You want something to drink?"

Gretchen glanced over at her and nodded, but suddenly whipped back around and shot her arms out to steady the drunken girl as she stumbled. She glanced back at Claire with a not-so-amused look. "Something strong preferably," she said and gave her a small smile.

Claire gave her a half hearted smile back as she watched her lead the girl to the nearby couch. Feeling a little irritated, Claire turned and pushed her way through the sea of sweaty bodies to fight her way into the kitchen. Once there, she was met by a horde of frat guys… She recognized one in particular as he made his way over to her.

"Claire!" Todd/Tad yelled, "You came!" He rushed over to her and picked her up in a bear hug.

"Whoa there, tiger," she pushed against him, and he set her back down. _Drink much?_ she thought, smelling the liquor on his breath. "Just because I'm small doesn't mean you can man-handle me." She said, straightening out her top. He just laughed.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Uhh…" she looked over at their arsenal of alcohol, "I'll just get a beer."

He trotted eagerly over to one of the coolers and returned with a brown bottle. "Here, let me get this for ya," he said as he popped the lid. He handed it to her.

She gave him a small smile, "Thanks." Looking around nervously, she glanced back in the direction she came hoping to see Gretchen, but the dancers were blocking her view. She turned back to find Todd/Tad staring at her expectantly. She raised her eyebrows, "Um…," not knowing what to say, she decided to make a break for it, "Okay, I'll see you later."

She turned back to the sea of dancers, but he grabbed her arm and turned her around. "Hey… what, I don't get a dance?"

"Oh uh… yeah, I… don't really dance," she said, "but maybe later?" Hoping that would suffice.

He looked disappointed, but he replied, "Okay, I'll hold you to that."

She gave him a tight smile. "Oookay," she said, knowing in an hour he wouldn't even remember the conversation. She turned around again and headed back to the foyer.

She didn't see Gretchen, though. Looking at the couch, there was no sign of her or Skanky McSlut. She walked into the den area, and saw Gretchen leaned against a wall while the Melanie girl flirted shamelessly with her. Her temper flared up. _Why is Gretchen talking to her?_ She strode over, pushing the drink into Gretchen's hand while glaring at the other blonde, before storming off again.

"Claire, where are you going?" Gretchen called after her. Claire ignored her. She pulled the door open and strode back outside, into the cool air. She just needed a breather. Leaning against the outside wall of the house, she took a deep breath trying to calm herself. After a moment she groaned and shook her head. _Maybe I overreacted…_

Hearing the door creak open again, she turned to see who was coming out. Gretchen eyes found her and she did _not_ look happy. "What was _that_ about?" she demanded.

Claire squeezed her eyes shut, feeling embarrassed and still a little resentful. "Nothing, can we just go?" She stepped away from the wall and headed towards the street.

"But we just got here?" Gretchen responded, following her.

"Yeah, and now I wanna go," Claire snapped unexpectedly, "Okay?"

Claire's mood swing made Gretchen's blood boil but she kept quiet the rest of the way back to their dorms; not wanting to lose it on her best friend. Once they reached their hallway, Gretchen felt cooled off enough to respond sensibly. _I guess now is as good a time as ever to have this talk._ She sighed, speaking calmly, "It was your idea to go to that party, you know?"

However, Claire evidently _hadn't_ cooled down yet. "Well, that was before you decided to flirt with another girl right in front of me," she muttered.

"What?!" Gretchen exclaimed. "Claire, it wasn't even like that," she tried to explain, "She _may_ have been flirting with me, but really she was so intoxicated she probably would've flirted with a fucking _tree_." She continued, "And I was just _talking_ to her… There's a difference."

Claire just dropped her head, avoiding Gretchen's gaze, as she started digging through her purse looking for her keys. She frowned, feeling angry at herself. _I don't know why I brought that up… I don't know why I-_

"I mean… it's not like it matters anyway," she heard Gretchen mumble. Her head jerked up and she glared up at her.

"It's not like _what_ matters?" Claire shot back at her vehemently.

Gretchen met her gaze dead on. "If Melanie and I were flirting," she said, challenging her.

Claire was enraged. She turned to completely face her friend, "Of _course _it matters!" _What was she talking about?_ Her mind raced as she tried to get out the words she needed, "I… we…"

"_What_, Claire?" Gretchen interrupted, getting angry again, "We _what?_" She gestured her hand between the two of them, "What _is _this? You know, last Thursday I thought I knew… but then after we left the security of your room you've been a _completely_ different person." She said exasperated. "I try… I try to hold your _hand_ or _touch_ you… or even just _talk_ to you about what happened, and you run away! …How am I supposed to take that?"

Claire was flabbergasted. She opened and closed her mouth several times trying to force something out, but the words never came. Before she got a chance, a man was standing at her side.

"Claire." She jerked at the sound, but relaxed when she saw Renee standing there. "I need to get the two of you out of here. It is very dangerous. Go inside and pack your bags… quickly."

Gretchen groaned and rolled her eyes. _Of course_, she thought.

Claire shot Gretchen a look that clearly stated 'Not now' before going to unlock the door. "What's going on, Renee?"

"We do not have time now. I will tell you on the way to the safe hou-" he was cut off by a thudding sound. Claire turned around just in time to see Renee fall to the ground.

"Renee!" She fell by his side, shaking him.

Gretchen gasped and felt her heart race. _What the…? _"What just happened?!" she asked, feeling terror trickle down her spine. But that was the last feeling she had before everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

When Gretchen hit the floor, Claire's heart lurched in her chest. "Gretchen!!" She didn't waste a moment. She jumped up and stood over the fallen girl protectively. What could take out two people without anyone seeing anything?

"Becky!" Claire shouted, her heart pounding wildly. "You know good and well that you can't hurt me, but I can hurt you!" she was seething. She looked around, hoping for just a glance of something that she could attack… but there was nothing. "Show yourself!"

She suddenly thrashed as she felt a rag being clamped down over her nose and mouth, but the psychopath had a strong grip. Claire tried to breathe. The scent of the cloth made her head spin. Were there chemicals on it?

_Chloroform. _

She told herself not to panic: once she passed out, her body would immediately heal itself and she'd be back up on her feet in no time. _It's okay, just relax…_

She barely registered the feeling of duct tape being wrapped around her head, holding the rag in place as she felt herself drift away.

_Oh shit_, she thought as she fell into the darkness.

* * *

The sound of a creaky metal door slamming not too far away pulled her out of her drugged sleep. Her eyes slowly drifted open as the fogginess dissipated. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision to examine the murky room she was in.

_Wha… What happened?_

She slowly turned her head to take in her surroundings. Metal bars? _Where the hell am I?_

Once her body completely healed itself, she moved to stand up; leaving the cot she'd been placed on. She walked forward and grasped the metal bars in her hands. _What is this place?_ She glanced behind her and saw the unkempt cot sitting next to a questionable looking toilet and sink. _Is this a jail? … Am I in jail?_

She looked forward again at the empty cells across from her. The place was dusty and smelled of mold. _I don't think this jail has been used in a very long time_, she thought as she looked around… not seeing another person in sight.

She sighed and turned to move back towards her cot when something in the shadows caught her eye… a person in the cell right next to hers. She gasped and ran towards the side of her cage as she recognized the tall, lanky girl passed out on her cot. There was blood trickling down her temple onto her face. Claire's heart stopped. _Oh my God…_ "Gretchen!!" she yelled, hoping to stir the girl. She hit the bars with her hands trying to make some noise, "Gretchen, come on, wake up!"

A groan came from the still form; it was the sweetest noise Claire had ever heard. She breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, baby, come on," she said, "You can do it. Let me see those eyes."

Gretchen blinked once… twice. She lifted her eyes to see a very worried Claire standing in what could only be a jail cell. Looking forward she saw that she was in one, too. "Wha… Where are we? How did we get here?"

The painful strain behind Gretchen's voice pulled at Claire's heart. She answered, "It was Becky. She ambushed us."

"Becky?!" Gretchen immediately bolted up right, but the sensation of her head spinning had her quickly lying back down with a groan. She put a hand to her head and pulled it away to see blood on her fingertips. She stared at the crimson liquid with fascination, "I'm bleeding…" The words making the situation seem all the more real.

Claire swallowed hard, feeling her heart constrict painfully. "Yeah…"

Without thinking about it, she suddenly went over to her cot and yanked the sheets off. Tearing off a strip she went to dampen it in the sink, and then she returned to the bars that separated her and Gretchen. "Can you make it over here?" Gretchen looked up at her again, uncertainty in her eyes.

But she carefully pushed herself up off the cot and shuffled over to the bars. Claire kneeled down and gestured for Gretchen to do the same. She plopped down in front of Claire and wearily pressed her forehead against one of the cool bars. Claire reached in between the bars and carefully began to dab at the wound on her head while Gretchen closed her eyes.

Claire couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with guilt. "This is my fault…" she said, "If it weren't for me, none of this ever would have happened to you. You wouldn't be down here right now."

Gretchen's eyes drifted open again as she gave her a wary look. "Oh… _my_ bad. I thought _Becky_ was the one who knocked us both out and dragged us into every inmate's worst nightmare, but it was _you_… Were you hoping to act out some little sapphic scene in here? Maybe I could be the prisoner and you could be the guard?" She thought about it, "Ooo, I wish we had a video camera… I bet some dirty old men would pay a _lot_ of money to see _us_ together."

Claire was not amused. "Gretchen…"

"What?" she raised her eyebrows in question, but she didn't wait for a response. Her face suddenly lit up as a thought came to her, "Oh, I bet _that's_ why Becky brought us down here! Maybe she's hoping to get in on a little girl on girl action. She _did_ seem kind of dyke-ish." Gretchen pulled away from Claire's caring hands and looked around at the ceiling. "I bet she has hidden cameras in here _just for that_…" She glanced around her cell. "Do you see any equipment lying around?"

Claire was having a hard time keeping up with her at this point, "Equipment?"

"Yeah… you know… like handcuffs? … ball and chain… maybe a whip or something?"

"Gretchen!"

"What?" she said finally returning her gaze, the corners of her mouth twitching up into the faint outline of a smirk, "A girl can dream right?"

Claire rolled her eyes but let out a small laugh at the same time. Gretchen gave her an 'Aren't I cute?' smile. Claire smiled back and shook her head as she reached for the brunette's collar… pulling her back forward again so that she could finish cleaning her wound.

Gretchen leaned into Claire's tender touch. With their faces so close together, Gretchen found herself having trouble breathing properly. She took the opportunity to admire the girl she'd grown so fond of. Her blue eyes made Gretchen feel even weaker than her head wound did. There was a serious look of concern there… and Gretchen could tell in that one look that Claire would do everything she could to take care of her. It sent a warmth of security through Gretchen that she'd never felt before.

She didn't know what had gotten into Claire over the last few days… Maybe she _had _changed her mind about them. But at least Gretchen knew that the blonde _did_ care about her… in whatever way that may be.

_And I'm in love with her_, she thought as she glanced down at the girl's lips.

Gretchen had only said those words a few times before in her life, but she never meant it more than she did with Claire. Each passing moment she spent in the girl's presence just proved further to her how amazing she was. _The Indestructible Girl,_ she smiled at the thought.

Claire's eyes were glued to the blood on Gretchen's temple. She still felt guilty about it, even though Gretchen had tried to make her feel better. As she dabbed the blood away, she couldn't help noticing just how soft and warm Gretchen's skin was. _And even in this murky environment her skin almost seems to glow_, she thought. Out of the corner of her eye she could've sworn she saw the brunette smiling.

"What are you smiling about, jail bait?" she asked jokingly even though she had a clue. Sitting so closely together and meeting her eyes… it almost felt like they were in a trance. She couldn't have pulled her eyes away if she wanted to.

But Gretchen could…

Claire saw a flash of what looked like pain cross her friend's delicate features before she turned away. She stood up and walked back towards her cot, mumbling something about getting some rest for her pounding headache. She lied back down on her cot and faced away from Claire.

_She's thinking about the last conversation we had_, Claire realized. Thinking about it made Claire's heart cry out in protest and her stomach churn in a way that made her feel nauseas. She almost couldn't believe the words that had come out of Gretchen's mouth, but she was right… about everything. Claire _had_ disappeared on her… even after they shared such an intimate and breathtaking moment in her bedroom.

_It was amazing_.

Claire was shocked the first time Gretchen kissed her all those weeks ago, but from the moment it happened she had been secretly wishing that it would happen again. Even back when she was still convinced that her and Gretchen were only friends, Claire would often times catch herself staring down at Gretchen's lips… trying to replay how it felt to have that soft mouth pressed against her own, even if it was only for one brief, chaste moment. Her heart rate sped up as she thought about it. _And then it happened again_, she thought,_ I kissed her… in my own room_. She smiled at the memory.

_But then we went downstairs and everything got all awkward_.

Her dad had a very surprised look on his face when they returned to the table. She had only been in the room for a few seconds but he could already tell that she was feeling much better. He was always very good at seeing right through her. Fortunately, even though he could see how happy Gretchen made her, he hadn't figured out why. _If he had, he would've made sure that Gretch and I were no longer roommates_.

She had panicked under the pressure. Her father kept shifting suspicious eyes from her to Gretchen and back again. So, she did her best to act like the most precious, innocent daughter he ever had. And it worked… no more suspicious looks. _But ever since that moment…_

Claire opened her mouth to say something to Gretchen's back that now faced her… She didn't know what she wanted to say, but she needed to say something.

The sound of a metal door creaking open distracted her though. Her eyes immediately shot to the entrance of the hallway, waiting to see who would come around the corner. She heard Gretchen sit up on her cot.

Lo and behold the conniving Becky stepped out from the shadows holding a folded paper plate in her hand. "Sorry, we're a bit short on supplies… only had enough to make one sandwich," she said, holding up the paper plate to prove her story.

"You won't get away with this, you know," Claire said, standing up and marching to the front of her cell. "My dad will find us, and when he does… you're going to regret it."

Laughter made a trickle of fear slither through the former cheerleader's defiant stance. Becky was laughing at her.

"Oh, you poor, stupid little girl," she said, walking up to face off with Claire, "I _want_ your dad to find us…"

Terror shot through her, "Where's Renee?"

"Where do you _think?_" she spat back, "I left him there… so that he could run to your father and grab his attention… I figured the kidnapping of his _daughter_ would definitely do the job. That's why you're here. When he does come, my friends and I will be waiting."

Claire swallowed hard, trying to hold back the angry tears she felt stinging her eyes, "That explains why I'm here… But you had _no right_ to drag Gretchen into this… Let her go."

"Mmmm, no no no, I'm afraid I can't do that," she said, shifting to glance at the brunette still watching on from her cot, "She's my security blanket." Seeing the flash of confusion cross Claire's face, she elaborated, "I know that you won't do anything _stupid _while you're here, because… well, I know that you wouldn't want anything to happen to your little girlfriend… now, would you?"

As the words reached Claire, she stepped closer to the bars, reaching out and gripping them with white knuckled fists as she glared at her captor. With her jaw clenched, her voice came out in a low rumble that only Becky could hear, "If you try to hurt her again, so help me _God…_"

"There there now, none of that," she said, breaking Claire's adamant stare by shoving the plate in between the bars and into the girl's stomach, "Eat up… we might be here for a while." She walked back the way she came. The sound of the creaky metal door slamming shut again indicated her departure.

Claire steamed, but she paused to take a breath… hoping to calm herself. She looked down at the folded plate blankly. She sent out a silent plea, hoping that where ever he was he might hear her…

_Be careful, dad._

* * *

"Noah," an urgent voice called him from behind. He turned to see Renee running up to him.

"Renee?" his body stiffened as he realized Claire wasn't with him, "What's going on? Where's Claire?"

"Becky has them," he explained, panting. "I met them at their dorm to escort them off campus, but she caught me by surprise." His eyes were full of guilt, "I do not know how she got there so fast, Noah. I believe she has help. She knocked me to the ground and when I woke… they were gone."

Noah's brow furrowed. A cold sense of determination and revenge washed over him, showing through his features as the hunter in him emerged. "Call Parkman. We need Molly to tell us where Claire is. Once we have a location, we move in." Renee was unnerved by the coldness he saw in the man's eyes, "Contact me once you have the information we need." He turned to walk away.

Confused, "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To get my gun…" Noah responded without turning around.

* * *

Claire walked back towards the bars that separated their cells and sat down with her legs folded beneath her. She held the sandwich in between the bars as she met Gretchen's gaze.

Gretchen stared back at her. Claire's eyes, although open, were glazed over… her thoughts obviously somewhere else. _She's worried about her dad_, Gretchen knew. She got up and walked over to the bars and sat down in front of her, hoping to distract her from her worries. She took the sandwich from the girl's outstretched hand and tore it in half, handing half of the sandwich back to her. She took it and stared at it absently.

Gretchen watched her for a moment before breaking into her thoughts. "So, I have a question…" Claire's eyes focused on hers again. "How did Becky manage to knock you out? I mean… aren't you indestructible?"

Claire stared off into space again, nodding softly. "She used chloroform."

Gretchen's brows knitted together, "But… if alcohol doesn't affect you, why does chloroform?"

"It's stronger… but still I should have only been under for a few seconds before my body healed itself…" Gretchen watched her expectantly, "Becky obviously knows what she's doing." She met Gretchen's gaze full on, "She taped the cloth to my head so that the chemical was constantly being inhaled in to my system… Extremely dangerous for anyone else, but…" she stared off again, "not for me."

Gretchen nodded, "What about the Renee guy? Isn't he supposed to, I don't know… _keep_ people from using their powers? … How did Becky sneak up on us?"

Claire shrugged, grateful for Gretchen's questions. She knew Gretch was just trying to keep her worrying. She looked down at her sandwich, suddenly starving. "I dunno… The hallway _was_ kind of dark… considering it was after hours. She could have snuck up on us _without_ needing to be invisible… And she probably took Renee out first because his power is useless if he's not conscious." She took a bite of her sandwich.

Gretchen nodded, taking a bite of her sandwich as well… She chewed slowly before grimacing. "What _is_ this?" She asked, opening up the sandwich.

Claire snorted. "I don't know," she said, smiling softly; the exhaustion from the long day catching up to her. "I think it's supposed to be turkey, but…" she shrugged. Gretchen laughed, timidly taking another bite.

They finished their sandwich in silence. Gretchen's mood turned solemn as she noticed that Claire was staring off into space again. She gave her a comforting look as she spoke softly, "Your dad's gonna be fine, Claire." "He's_… Mr. Bennet_… He's kick ass, yo," she finished, giving her a warm smile.

Claire returned the smile, "I know… you're right." She nodded, "I'm sure he'll be fine." She sighed and lost herself in the warmth of Gretchen's hazel eyes, "Thank you."

Gretchen reached forward and gave Claire's hand a reassuring squeeze, "Anytime."


	5. Chapter 5

"Alright, we ready to go?" Noah asked, starting towards the truck with his bag; his gun hidden safely under his shirt.

"I think there is a problem," Renee said, trotting to catch up to him.

Noah stopped and faced him. "What is it?"

"Molly placed Claire only a few miles from here..." he said. Noah looked at him expectantly. "Why kidnap her only to take her a little ways out into the country? Some place far enough to avoid unwanted attention but close enough that it would be easy for you to get to?"

"You think it's a trap?" he inquired.

"I think it would be wise if we were cautious," he responded. Noah pulled out his cell phone, and Renee looked at him with a question in his eyes.

Noah glanced back at him before dialing a number, "If we're going to play it cautious then we're going to need backup."

* * *

[some time later]

Gretchen and Claire had both tried to forget their worries and get some sleep, but Claire was finding it difficult. She knew not to worry about her dad. Gretchen was right… he could handle himself. But she still sat there on her cot… unable to rest…

She watched Gretchen sleep instead. With the blood gone, she was actually quite adorable when she slept. She was curled into a fetal position under her thin blanket, trying to keep warm from the drafty prison cell. If Claire could reach her, she'd offer the girl _her _blanket as well. But the only way to get it to her would be to wake her… and she didn't want to disrupt her sleep. _She seems to be having a good dream, at least_, Claire thought as she studied the small smile that graced Gretchen's lips.

An explosion not too far away had them both jumping off their cots immediately. Gretchen's eyes were now wide open as she edged closer to Claire's cell, looking in the direction of the blast. "What the _hell_ was that?"

Claire watched with her, "I don't know…" The blast had definitely come from somewhere inside the building, but it still sounded very far away. Once the girls tuned their ears to listen for any additional noises, they both heard the distant sounds of fighting. Screams and shouts with the occasional blast of gunfire.

Claire looked over to Gretchen. The girl had unknowingly moved to press her back into the bars of Claire's cell. Fear etched in her face as she nervously watched the door at the end of the hall. Claire stepped over to her and gently laid a hand on her back. The girl jumped and whipped around to see the petite blonde behind her. Claire raised her hand, showing it to the girl. "Hey…" she spoke softly, "It's alright."

Gretchen nodded and gulped, glancing back over her shoulder at the door. Claire reached through the bars and grabbed the girl's hand, pulling it towards her. "It's gonna be okay. I bet it's Dad… He'll have us out of here in no time."

Gretchen nodded again and leaned into the bars close to Claire as she tried to relax. "I guess he has some super powered friends that he could call on in a case like this, huh?"

Claire offered a small smile and nodded. She felt Gretchen trembling though as she glanced back over her shoulder. The sounds of the fighting grew louder; both the girls watched the hallway with anticipation. Gretchen took in a deep breath and let it out; Claire squeezed her hand. "I won't let anything happen to you." Gretchen looked at her and nodded, offering a brave smile.

They both tensed as they heard someone burst through the metal door and run down the hallway towards them. A dark figured emerged from the shadows with the jingling sound of keys. Claire took a step forward, recognizing the man, "Peter?!" she yelled, jumping towards the door he was quickly trying to unlock. "What are you doing here?"

"Your dad called," he quickly explained, "Said something about a homicidal invisible girl that kidnapped you and your roommate, and that he needed help." He smiled as he heard the successful click of the lock. "He got a whole team together," he said as he opened the gate. Claire sprung on him, giving him a fierce hug before moving to Gretchen's door. Peter handed her the key and started trotting back the way he came. "Go out the back door; we have everyone occupied up front. I need to go back and help," he said, disappearing again.

Claire jerked open the gate and pulled Gretchen into a hug as well; grateful that there weren't bars separating them anymore. Gretchen returned the affection, leaving them in a tight embrace. "Who was that guy?" she asked when Claire released her.

"My Uncle," she stated, pushing the keys into Gretchen's hand. "Here," she said, glancing around them, "If we run into any trouble, I don't care _what's_ going on, I need you to get out of here… okay? I'll hold them off while you make a break for it."

"What? Claire, no _way-_" Claire cut her off by holding up her hand.

"No arguments. Don't worry about me… I'm indestructible, remember?" She turned and started down the hallway, "Stay a few paces behind me. If we run into anyone, hopefully they won't see you." She started to run… leading the way down the hallway. She didn't really know where they were going though. The jail was full of empty, dark, windowless hallways. She just ran in the general direction of what she _hoped_ was the back of the building… She didn't get far though.

The back of a shovel met the back of Claire's head with an unpleasant thud. Claire went down, holding her head as she rolled over. Becky materialized in front of her. "Did you _really_ think it would be that easy?" the girl asked, tauntingly. Claire glared up at her.

"Your father may have captured most of my team," she said, stepping closer, "but I _will_ have my reven-" her sentence was cut short as she toppled over on top of Claire.

Claire pushed the unconscious girl off of her and looked up bewildered. She saw Gretchen standing there with a two by four she'd found leaning against the wall.

"Payback's a _bitch_, isn't it?"

She dropped the plank and moved to help her friend up. Claire looked at her, thoroughly impressed. Gretchen just smiled at her weakly, "What? I got some mad skills up my sleeves… I only _pretend_ to be a gutless coward to get the ladies in the sack, you know?"

Claire laughed, "Oh, is that right? How's that workin' out for ya?"

Gretchen snorted, "Not that great." She glanced back at the fallen girl behind her, "Let's get outta here."

Claire nodded and they started running again.

[later in the early morning]

Gretchen and Claire waited in the back of her dad's truck, wrapped up in blankets as they waited for the team to finish their job. As they watched, Noah and Renee escorted at least a dozen criminals into the back seats of government vehicles, which then drove off to some undisclosed location.

Claire recognized some of the other members of the team her father pulled together. One being Peter, of course… She thought she saw Parkman at some point, too. And then there was Tracy. The beautiful blonde woman gave her a comforting smile and waved to her across the parking lot. Claire waved back.

Gretchen whistled, which earned her an elbow to the ribs. She snorted. She didn't complain though. She deserved it.

Renee walked up to their open door, and they both turned to look at him. "Alright girls, _now_ I am going to take you to the safe house." They both laughed as he shut their door and hopped into the driver's seat.

"Where's Dad?" Claire asked.

"He will come by to check on you later. He still has some business to take care of."

Claire nodded and subconsciously leaned over to rest her head on Gretchen's shoulder wearily. Gretchen rested her head on top of Claire's for the duration of the ride.

* * *

By the time they reached the safe house it was nearly dawn. Renee showed them to their separate rooms and told them he'd be on guard downstairs if they needed anything. Claire quickly changed into some pajamas, a small cotton camisole with shorts, before sitting on her bed, staring out the window blankly. She wondered what Gretchen was doing. _She's probably passed out_, she thought.

She was impressed by the girl's actions that night… She had been trembling in fear one moment, then stood up to the murderous psychopath the next. A smile crept over her face. Of course, Gretchen never ceased to surprise her.

At this point exhaustion had taken over, so her mind was no longer in control of her actions. Before she could stop herself, she slipped out into the hallway and snuck into the room where Gretchen was led.

She apparently wasn't able to fall asleep either. Claire found her sitting on her bed, staring out her window as she'd been doing only moments before. She turned her gaze to Claire as she heard the door close.

Gretchen offered a small smile, "Hi…"

Claire smiled back at her, "Hi."

Gretchen stared off at some invisible point in the room; the exhaustion from the crazy day was evident in her glazed over eyes. Claire's heart sped up as she watched her. _Why is she still here?_ She thought. _Why isn't she running away from me screaming?_

Earlier in her cell Claire had figured out _why_ she'd been so distant over the last few days, but she realized in _that_ moment, as she watched the beautiful girl who sat in front of her… that her fears were unnecessary.

Without thinking about it, she moved soundlessly over to the girl… and leaned over to press a chaste kiss on her lips. Suddenly Gretchen's eyes were back on her and completely focused. Claire swallowed hard and kneeled down in front of the girl, taking her hands. "Gretchen, I… about what you said… last night…" Gretchen's eyebrows scrunched together. Claire shook her head, "I just… You were right," she said. "I… haven't been myself, and I'm sorry." She looked up at the girl apologetically, "I freaked out."

Gretchen studied her face warily. "Is this the part where you tell me you like me, but you just want to stay friends?"

Claire shook her head.

"The whole thing started at Thanksgiving… Because of my dad, I guess," she replied. "Well, he's not the main reason but a part of it," she explained, "When we were sitting at my family's dinner table…" she stared off, "I realized that… my dad would try to take you away from me if he ever found out about us." She glanced away, tears filling her eyes, "And umm… the feeling that came with that realization hurt so much." A tear fell down her cheek. "It wasn't just my dad, but… the thought of losing you at _all_, I guess."

She reached up to wipe away the tear, and met Gretchen's gaze again, "You mean so much to me… I've never felt this strongly about anyone before. I… I got scared…" she glanced down at Gretchen's lips, "because I was afraid to lose you… So, I… I hid from you?" She shook her head, "I don't know, I guess I figured… as long as we didn't get too close, I wouldn't lose you. Or if I _did_ lose you… maybe it wouldn't hurt as much..." she shrugged.

Looking up she locked her eyes with the hazel ones staring back down at her. "I'm sorry…" she stated, "I'm sorry, Gretchen… for the way I've been acting the last few days…" She took in a shaky breath and held it, "But I _do_ want to be with you…"

Gretchen let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. She took a moment before responding, "Are you sure?"

Claire responded by moving up again to lean over her. Their mouths collided… the kiss was delicate and full of emotion that left both the girl's hearts pounding wildly in their chests.

Gretchen leaned back slowly, pulling Claire along with her, as she rested back on the comforter. Claire crawled onto the bed with her, never breaking the kiss. She hovered over the girl, kissing her again, as she pressed their bodies together.

It was almost too much stimulation for Gretchen to handle. After all these long months of dreaming about her roommate, here she was… with those soft lips meeting her own and that warm, firm body lying on top of hers. _I will never get enough of this,_ she thought, moving her hands down to Claire's hips and squeezing softly.

Claire's breath hitched. What was meant to be a single kiss turned into this heated moment with the two girls lying on Gretchen's bed. She kissed the girl again, letting her tongue tease open her lips as she deepened the kiss. The sensation of Claire's searching tongue stroking her own elicited a tiny moan from Gretchen… which only made Claire want more. She ran her hands down her sides and slid them under the back of Gretchen's shirt.

Gretchen shivered feeling the warmth from Claire's hands gliding up over her back. _Uh oh_, she thought. As much as she was enjoying this, if it went too much farther, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop. Claire's mouth left hers, as she kissed her way down to Gretchen's neck, sucking gently on a tender spot that made Gretchen shudder. _Oh fuck… yeah, I'm not gonna be able to stop this_.

Claire's hands moved farther north, pulling Gretchen's shirt with them. She realized what she was trying to do. "Wait," Gretchen said breathless, shivering at the newfound cool air against her bare stomach, "What are you doing?"

Claire's eyes met hers, but they were clouded over with some emotion Gretchen had never seen on the girl before… It made her shudder with pleasure. Claire's smoldering eyes traveled down Gretchen's body; she seemed to be having trouble breathing as well. Finally the small muttered reply came, "I wanna see you…"

Gretchen swallowed hard and lifted her arms. Claire finished pulling the shirt off and left it sitting on the bed next to them as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to Gretchen's now bare shoulder. She paused for a minute as she felt Gretchen tugging at her own shirt. She sat up and let the brunette pull the camisole off her, quickly tossing it away. Claire shivered and immediately pressed herself into Gretchen again. They held onto each other, ravishing in the warmth of their bodies.

Claire moved to kiss Gretchen again, more urgently this time. Both of the girls got lost in the moment; their heavy breathing making it impossible to hear the door of the bedroom creak open. They did, however, realize that they were suddenly bathed in bright light. Claire's head shot up as she glanced back at the doorway to see the figure standing there.

"DAD!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome to the sixth and final chapter of Thanksgiving. Sorry for the wait, guys. The holidays were crazy, not to mention I've had this crazy fan girl taking up all my time ;)**

**Thanks for all the feedback! Your reviews have been very much appreciated! Enjoy :)****  
**

* * *

"DAD!"

Claire propelled herself off of Gretchen so quickly she fell to the floor beside the bed. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_, she cursed herself as she searched desperately for her shirt.

Gretchen quickly grabbed her shirt and covered her chest as she sat up, meeting Mr. Bennet's shocked and somewhat enraged expression, "Mr. Bennet… _hiii_…" she said, overly enthusiastic. She plastered a smile on her face as she tried to cover up her nervousness… it didn't work, "How are you?... You're not…" gulp "_armed_… are you?"

Giving up trying to find her shirt, Claire peaked over the side of the bed, "Dad, I can explain…"

Noah's now cold and hard eyes shifted to his daughter who was still on the floor. He wanted to yank her out of the room immediately, but seeing as she was still indecent he decided to give them a moment to get dressed.

"Both of you downstairs… _NOW_," he said, his voice booming as he turned to slam the door shut again.

* * *

Renee heard the commotion upstairs… followed by Noah's threatening words resonating through the entire house. A door slammed and he could hear the man stomping back down the stairs.

_Oh dear_, he thought. He immediately realized what must have happened. Pulling out his cell phone, he quickly dialed a number. It rang a few times before the woman answered.

"You better get over here… quickly."

* * *

"That did not just happen…"

Gretchen looked over to Claire when she heard the girl speak. The blonde's eyes weren't focused on anything, and her eyebrows were raised in shock… Gretchen quickly pulled her shirt on and went to help her up. "It's gonna be fine, Claire… we'll figure something out," she said softly. Her words were intended to calm the other girl, but the uncontrollable shivers she felt were blatant in her voice. She didn't believe the words herself.

Claire just stood there like a zombie while Gretchen searched around the room for her shirt. Once she spotted it, she snatched it up and walked back to Claire to tug it over her head. Claire finally snapped out of it and pulled the shirt down to cover herself up. She finally met Gretchen's gaze; the tall girl's brow was twisted with worry, and the corners of her mouth were pulled down in a frown. _Pull it together, Claire,_ she told herself, _She needs you_. She swallowed, "You're right… he can't do anything to us." Reaching up she pulled the other girl into a warm embrace. She buried her face in waves of brown hair, "I won't let him…"

Gretchen gulped, but returned the hug. They held on to each other for a moment while the tremors subsided. Claire pulled away first, pressing a kiss to Gretchen's cheek. _She still looks worried_, Claire thought. She reached up and dug her fingers into the mess of brown hair, brushing it out of the other girl's face. "We'll make it through this," she said, more certain this time, "I promise." She pushed up to give Gretchen a reassuring kiss before turning towards the door and dragging her out into the hallway.

They walked downstairs quietly. Once they entered the kitchen, Claire immediately sat down at the counter that her father stood across from, placing herself directly between him and Gretchen. Both the girls shifted their gazes uncomfortably; they had trouble meeting his stern stare.

"Gretchen," he said, grabbing their attention. His tone was alarmingly calm, "I called you a cab… You're leaving. Go get your belongings and wait outside."

Claire jumped off her stool at this, "What?! No, you can't do that!"

"I can and I will," her father said defiantly, staring her down. "Keep quiet, Claire, this has nothing to do with you." He turned his glare back to Gretchen.

"It has _everything_ to do with me!" _Oh God, I knew this was going to happen. _"She's my _girlfriend_!" She racked her brain, trying to find the words she wanted "… I'm _in love_ with her!"

Gretchen's heart skipped a beat, her eyes suddenly locking on the furious young woman in front of her. _She loves me?_

Noah turned to his daughter, rage building behind his eyes. "Claire, you don't know _what_ you're talking about… You're 18, how could you _possibly_ know what love is?" He heard a car door slam outside, and absently noted Renee heading towards the front door, opening it expectantly.

"Oh, _that's_ rich. You're _how old_ now, dad?" Claire spat back at him, "And you can't even keep your own _family_ together? _You_ are not equipped to give _me_ advice on love!"

Noah heard someone else enter the house. He ignored his daughter and walked around the counter, closing in on Gretchen. Latching onto the lanky girl's arm, he began to drag her to the front of the house. "Sounds like your ride is here, Gretchen. Time to say goodbye, Claire."

Claire's heart thudded when she realized what was happening right before her eyes. She made a move to forcibly stop him when someone interrupted.

"Noah Bennet, don't you _dare_!!!" a familiar voice shot through the room to them. Noah looked up to see Sandra standing in the doorway leading to the foyer. Quickly turning his gaze to Renee, the Haitian only shrugged his shoulders in a silent apology.

Claire stood there absently staring at the woman in front of her. _Mom?_ She thought, confused.

Noah kept his grip firmly in place on Gretchen's arm. "What are you doing here?"

"Renee called me," she said. She strode forward, dropping her purse in a nearby chair. She went to pull Gretchen out of his grasp. "I _knew_ you were going to react like this, Noah, I just _knew_ it… Throwing a temper tantrum because something didn't go _according to plan._" She managed to pull Gretchen's arm free. _"_But _seriously_, Noah? You were just going to _throw_ Gretchen out of the house?" She stepped in between him and the silent brunette; Claire took the opportunity to return to Gretchen's side, and she grabbed the girl's hand reassuringly.

Sandra turned to Renee. "How much danger are the girls actually in… _right_ now?" She looked over to Noah, "I mean you _captured_ this Becky girl, didn't you?"

"That's not the point, Sandr-"

"Then _what is it?_ …Is she just one of many? Is there a _gang_ of flame throwers and electrical sociopaths just _waiting _outside the safety of this cottage to get their hands on her?" She asked incredulously.

Renee bowed his head to hide his amusement. Noah shifted his gaze uncomfortably between him and his ex-wife. He cleared his throat, "Well no… at least not that we're aware of at this present time."

She shook her head then turned to face the anxious and very confused girls behind her. "The cab pulled up behind me. I told the driver the two of you would be out in a few minutes. Go upstairs and collect your things… you're going back to school."

Gretchen half turned to give Claire a look of shock… which she returned. _Is she serious?_ Gretchen thought. Neither one of them wanted to wait around to find out, though. They both turned to exit the kitchen quickly. "Oh, and _hey_," she called out to them. They stiffened and turned back to face her. She looked at her watch. "You should be back in _plenty _time to rest and get ready for class," she said, warningly. Both of the girls nodded absently then dashed up the stairs.

"What are you_ doing?!" _Noah hissed at her, keeping his voice down. "You have _no idea_ what I caught them doing upstairs! Gretchen… Claire…" he struggled with the wording, "… _they_-"

Sandra cut him off with a shake of her head. "I know, Noah…" Renee took that as his cue and backed out of the conversation quietly.

Noah's face fell; his enraged expression being replaced by one of shock. "You _knew_?" He suddenly looked hurt, "Did Claire trust you with this and not me?"

Sandra sighed, pausing to decide whether or not to answer the question, "No, she didn't tell me… but she didn't _have_ to, Noah. God, do you even _look_ at her?" she demanded, her tone filled with disgust. "She's _happy_, Noah. The happiest I've ever seen her. How could you _not_ see it? They were so bashful around each other at Thanksgiving it was downright adorable. Even _Renee_ picked up on it!" She placed her hands on her hips, "And Claire's not_ his_ daughter, Noah… She's yours."

The former company man shook his head, defeated. "I just wish she would have told me… Why didn't she tell me?"

Sandra's temper flared up again. Talking to her ex-husband did this to her. If only he would stop for just two seconds and look to see what was happening around him.

"She shouldn't have to… This is so typical of you, Noah. Don't you see?" she gestured her hands wildly. "This is _exactly_ what happened with us." There was disappointment in her eyes, "You are so concerned about doing your best to protect this family that you're not even here to enjoy what's left of it! ...Even if you _do_ spend quality time with your daughter, you're not _really_ there…" She paused. "… Obviously," she added, "… Or else you would have seen this coming." She shook her head again, "Maybe you should be a little _less_ concerned about sheltering her from the world and a little _more_ accepting of her experiencing it for herself… You can't protect her from everything."

She sighed, "And I know you don't like it… and seeing them upstairs together probably didn't make this any easier… But just a word of caution." She spoke softly again, seeing Claire and Gretchen sneak out the front door behind Noah's back, "You need to accept her relationship with Gretchen… or risk losing her forever."

She walked over to gather up her purse again before turning back to Noah, "Gretchen makes her happy… " she shrugged, smiling, "and she's a good kid… So, I really don't see any problem with it. Gretchen will take care of her…" she stared off into space, smiling softly before rephrasing, "… they'll take care of each other." She met Noah's gaze again, "So, get over yourself and be the father you should be." With that she turned and walked back out the way she came, leaving Noah to his thoughts.

* * *

[some time later at Arlington University]

Claire stared down at the paper on her desk. She was back in her dorm room… classes were finished for the day. The hallways of their dormitory were unusually quiet… but she still couldn't concentrate.

_Mom knew about us…_ she thought, trying to make sense of it _…But how?_ She should know better than to underestimate her mom. Even though her dad had lied to her for years and was undoubtedly the reason for their divorce… she still held together well. _She's made of stronger stuff_, she smiled to herself, _Maybe I take after her… Blood doesn't count for much when it comes to family… _real_ family._

No matter how her mom found out, it made her feel better knowing that she was on her side. _She'll talk some sense into Dad_, she hoped. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the door opening.

Gretchen slumped in, throwing the door shut behind her as she dropped her books on her desk. "You _know_," she sounded irritated, "I think being abducted and nearly killed by an invisible _ex_-sorority girl is enough of an excuse to sleep through your classes… but _no_…" She ranted as she flopped back onto her bed. "Professor Thompson didn't think so… _and _he told me to lay off the caffeine." Claire let out a snort of a laugh as Gretchen continued, "Wake me in a week."

Claire smiled softly as she watched her roommate close her eyes and attempt to get some rest. She got up and moved over to the girl's bed, crawling in next to her and snuggling against her side. Gretchen moved to accommodate the new position; she wrapped an arm around Claire as the blonde rested her head on her shoulder. Claire slid her hand across Gretchen's stomach and gripped her side, holding her close. Gretchen sighed contentedly.

Claire watched the other girl's chest rise and fall with each delicate breath. They were both exhausted, but there was something Claire had been meaning to ask her since they got back to school.

"Gretch?" she spoke softly.

"Hmm?" the taller girl responded without opening her eyes.

"I was wondering…" her voice trailed off as she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She took a calming breath, "I was just wondering if you umm…" she moved her hand back to the girl's stomach and started tracing imaginary images, "Do you think you might… I don't know…" She started over, "After we get some sleep, of course… Would you… maybe… want to go to a movie or something later? Or maybe go out to eat…?"

Gretchen opened her eyes, feeling a smile stretch across her face, "Claire Bennet, are you asking me out on a date?"

She chewed on her lip, eyes cast down, "Yeah… I guess. I mean, I thought it would be nice, you know…" she tilted her head up trying to read the other girl's expression, "… to go on an actual date."

Gretchen's smile widened and she turned her head to face her adorable girlfriend. She glanced down at her lips before returning her eyes to meet her gaze, "I would love to go on a date with you, Claire."

The petite blonde returned the smile, "Okay… it's a date then." Gretchen laughed and moved to press their lips together. The kiss was soft and innocent; their lips lazily grazing over each other as they gave in to exhaustion. Claire cuddled up to Gretchen, nuzzling her neck while Gretchen rubbed her back, lulling her to sleep.

"Sweet dreams, Claire," she pressed a kiss to her forehead.

* * *

[later that evening]

Noah paced up and down the small corridor, ignoring the odd, questionable glances he kept receiving from the younger girls walking by. He was only a short ways away from his daughter's dorm room, but he wasn't quite sure what he needed to say.

He was not happy about what he witnessed in the dark bedroom that morning, but after being thoroughly chided by his ex-wife, he knew she was right. He didn't have to like the unexpected turn of events… but his daughter was happy.

He was an idiot for not seeing it before. Now that he looked back on it, all the signs were there… he had just dismissed them. The way she took to Gretchen so quickly… how hurt she was when the brunette disappeared… and how happy it made his Claire Bear when her former roommate returned again. Everything made sense… he _should_ have seen it coming. But he was so blinded by his own duties he didn't pick up on the one thing that was going on right under his nose the whole time.

His brow creased and he shook his head. _She may hate me by this point_… he thought, _but the least I can do is apologize_.

He sighed and started towards his daughter's hallway, stopping just short of the door. When he reached up to knock, out of the corner of his eye he saw a girl round the corner and stop dead in her tracks. Noah looked over and saw Gretchen standing there, looking horrified. He chuckled softly to himself. Lowering his hand, he turned to face the girl.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Gretchen."

She let out a choked laugh, trying to cover up her fear. "Heh, of course not…" she tried to smile, "_Why_ would I think that?" She still kept her distance.

Noah gestured for her to come closer. She gulped and started towards him. As she walked closer, Noah took in her appearance. She was dressed up. Black pants, high heeled shoes, and a white button down shirt. She carried her toothbrush and toothpaste in her hand.

She stopped just a few feet away, and he decided he owed her an apology as well. "I'm sorry, Gretchen… for the way I behaved earlier." The tall girl only watched him suspiciously, he continued, "I'm just… not used to seeing my Claire Bear that way. But… she's grown up now." He gave her a soft small, "And I know now that there are going to be other people in her life… Boyfriends…" he sighed, "… girlfriends… And honestly…" He met the tall girl's gaze sincerely, "Well, I'm sure she could do a lot worse than you."

"Umm… thanks?" Gretchen wasn't sure if she should take that as a compliment.

He glanced to the closed door, "Is she around? I was hoping to talk to her…" his jaw clenched, "Or is that not… a good idea? I bet she's pretty upset with me."

She fumbled, "Well, I uhh…" she looks towards the door, "I don't know. I guess? … I mean, yeah she was pretty upset with you earlier, but if you're here to apologize-"

Her sentence was cut off by the opening of the door, "Gretchen?" Claire peeked out when she heard her girlfriend's voice somewhere outside… but she stopped cold when she saw her father there instead. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at Gretchen, checking to make sure she was alright, before returning her gaze to her dad.

She took a step out into the hallway while she crossed her arms over her chest, preparing for the onslaught of a verbal war. "What are you doing here?"

Noah started to say something, but was distracted when he saw what his daughter was wearing. It was the black and white cocktail dress her mother broke down and bought her after she begged for it for months. But then when she got it, she hardly ever wore it… "It's only for special occasions," she had said. _But she's wearing it now_, he thought. He suddenly remembered that Gretchen seemed dressed up as well. He glanced back at the lanky girl, taking in her appearance. "Are you two going somewhere tonight?"

Gretchen looked nervous again and she immediately dropped her eyes. Looking over to Claire, she shifted her weight uncomfortably. Noah turned to look at his daughter as well. But she was watching Gretchen worriedly; they seemed to be sharing a telepathic conversation. After a moment she set her mouth in a thin, stern line as she looked back up to her father. "We're going on a date," she said flat out, challenging him.

Noah felt his jaw lock up, but he took a deep breath. _You knew about them already, get over it_. He gave them a small tight smile. "Oh," he muttered. After a moment he nodded, relenting. "Right… of course."

Claire just raised her eyebrows and waited expectantly.

Noah finally released a frustrated sigh, "Look Claire, I came here to apologize… The way I behaved earlier… It was out of line, I'm sorry." He glanced over at Gretchen momentarily before returning his gaze to his daughter, "And I wanted you to know if… you're happy, then… I'm happy… for you… For _both_ of you," he made sure to include.

Claire stared up at him dumbfounded, not believing what she was hearing. "Do you mean that?"

Noah set his mouth in a thin, small smile before nodding. "Yeah…" his smile broadened a bit, "Yeah, I mean that."

Claire's face broke out into a smile and she finally stepped forward to embrace her father, squeezing him in a bear hug. "Thanks, Dad."

He smiled again as he returned the embrace, kissing his daughter's hair. "Anything for you, Claire B-," he stopped short and rephrased as he pulled back to look at his daughter in a new light, "Anything for _you_, Claire." He smiled again as his daughter's eyes lit up.

Gretchen cleared her throat softly to get her girlfriend's attention. Claire looked over at her. "We should probably get going," she said, looking between the blonde and her dad, "We don't want to be late."

Claire nodded and pulled back from her father's grasp as both the girls retreated back into their room momentarily. Gretchen put up her bathroom stuff and Claire looked in the mirror again quickly before grabbing her purse and her girlfriend and heading back out into the hallway. Noah smiled again, giving them both a quick hug as he let them go. He held onto Claire for a moment longer and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye Dad," she said. "Yeah, see you around, Mr. Bennet," Gretchen included as they walked away.

"Gretchen," he called out to the girl. Both the girls turned to look at him. He smiled softly, "Treat her well."

The brunette smiled. "I will," she said as her girlfriend took her hand and started dragging her down the hallway again.

Noah smiled again, to himself this time, as the girls left for their first date.

* * *

[the parking lot]

Claire had been dragging her girlfriend at a break neck speed all the way down to the parking lot. She let her go once they arrived at Gretchen's truck and waited for the brunette to unlock the door. Gretchen pulled out her keys and pushed the button, which earned her a small beep from the vehicle. She went to open Claire's door for her, but stopped short with her hand resting on the handle.

"Gretchen?" Claire prodded when she noted the absent stare in her girlfriend's eyes.

Gretchen turned around and leaned on the door, meeting Claire's questioning gaze. She just studied her for a moment before finally asking, "Did you mean what you said this morning?"

Claire eyebrows scrunched together, "Which thing I said this morning?" She chuckled softly, "I said a lot."

Gretchen smiled softly. "At the safe house…" she started, "when… you thought your dad was gonna take me from you." She shrugged, suddenly fascinated in her shoes, "You just said some stuff."

After a moment Claire nodded, a knowing smile spreading across her face as she stepped closer to her girlfriend. "You mean… when I said I love you?"

She heard Gretchen's breath catch and her smile deepened. She stepped in between the girl's long legs and reached up to place a delicate finger under her chin, lifting her head. Gretchen finally met her gaze, her eyes searching the shorter girl's face. Claire gave her a loving smile, "Yeah… I did." Her smile broadened, "I _do._" Gretchen returned her smile. "I love you, Gretchen."

Gretchen's smile took over her face making it hard for her to respond, "I love you, too."

Claire grinned back at her as she pushed up on her toes, letting their lips collide. They kissed for a moment, there… leaned back against Gretchen's truck for everyone to see… They saw several people stop and stare out of the corner of their eyes. Several guys hollered, verbalizing their approval as the other girls stopped to gossip… and Claire didn't care. She smiled against her girlfriend's lips as she kissed her again, wrapping her arms around the taller girl's neck to pull her in closer.

_Let them see._

* * *

**Thanks guys for making this writing experience so enjoyable :). I hope y'all liked it!**


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